


Little Wonders

by beastlybrooke



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, M/M, Mage Fam, also elves and human still hate each other kinda, elves and magic still exist, picture katolis but like NYC edition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:56:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23977090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beastlybrooke/pseuds/beastlybrooke
Summary: Soren and Claudia arrive home early from their latest adventure to surprise their dad. Little do they know, he's got a bigger surprise waiting for them: his new boyfriend.
Relationships: Aaravos/Viren (The Dragon Prince), Claudia & Viren (The Dragon Prince), Soren & Viren (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 131





	Little Wonders

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted to write a cute mage fam moment (ft. viravos) after rewatching season three

They had met purely by coincidence. 

Viren was in the midst of enjoying a dark roast coffee in the bookstore-cafe he often frequented, when a gorgeous stranger caught his eye. Golden eyes rolled lazily across the pages of the book he was holding entitled Magic for the Modern Age. Viren clutched onto his coffee cup, his own book long forgotten, as the starblood elf looked up at him. Aaravos cocked his head curiously. Viren swallowed and looked pointedly back at his own book: Selenography - Studies of the Moon Arcanum. 

The strange elf had the audacity to actually fold up his book, get up from his armchair, and approach Viren’s table. “Is this seat taken?” 

Viren glared at him for a long moment before answering “No,” with a flick of his wrist. 

“Lovely,” Aaravos replied and in one graceful motion he was sitting across from the dark mage. “Studying the moon arcanum hmm? Are you some sort of magics professor?” 

“I’m a mage.” 

Aaravos’ eyes lit up even brighter and Viren would swear his starry freckles did the same. “I love a good mage,” he purred. 

One in-depth conversation about dark magics later, the two were agreeing to meet at the cafe the next week to further discuss the complications of creating illusions and the increasing rarity of moon arcanum ingredients and species. 

And if Viren was interested in Aaravos beyond the academic benefits of his magical knowledge, he kept it strictly to himself. Or so he thought he did. 

-

After months of lingering glances and not-so-subtle attempts at flirting, Viren finally caved and asked the starblood elf to dinner. While Viren prided himself on his ability to remain collected and at the very least, elegant and uninvested in such situations, he embarrassingly stuttered his way through the question. 

“Would you be interested in dinner sometime?” 

Aaravos’ signature devious grin spread across his face. “Oh? Like a date?” 

Viren tried very hard not to notice the heat spreading across his face, and the way Aaravos was biting his lip. “Yes. Yes, if you’d like that?” 

“Viren. I would be delighted,” he said, with a slight incline of his head. 

So dinner it was. Then one dinner turned into another, turned into another. Then a little trip to a rooftop bar, a mindblowing night at Aaravos’ flat, brunch down the block the morning after. 

Weeks later, they settled on a movie marathon at Viren’s. Aaravos had suggested The Lord of the Rings. Viren had agreed with what enthusiasm he could muster. Soren and Claudia had certainly loved the trilogy growing up, and he hadn’t watched them in ages. 

He swallowed tightly as he thought of the kids. He hadn’t gotten the chance to tell them about Aaravos yet. Well, perhaps he had gotten the chance, then chickened out and let it go. They had been off on some adventure again anyway, and he didn’t want to dampen their enthusiasm. 

Besides, Vired admitted to being slightly superstitious on occasion, and their relationship was still rather new. It certainly had nothing to do with his nerves, or that he hadn’t dated since the divorce with their mother, or that Aaravos was a bloody startouch elf. 

Not that there was anything wrong with elves. Except their stuck-up attitudes, their snotty comments about his profession, and their disgusted sneers every time a human dares speak about magic. Okay, Viren was a little biased against elves, and maybe he’d embedded that attitude in his children, but Aaravos never once acted superior even though his aptitude for magic clearly was so. If this relationship continued, his kids would see that. 

“We’re restarting if you’re not paying attention” Aaravos said, startling Viren out of his thoughts. 

“I’m paying attention,” he grumbled. “And I’ve seen these movies a hundred times.” 

Aaravos just hummed thoughtfully and turned back to the screen. 

“You only want to watch this for the hot elf, don’t you?” Viren groaned when Legolas made his first appearance. 

Aaravos smirked and reached for the popcorn in Viren’s lap. “Actually, I prefer the grumpy human,” he winked. 

-

Later that evening, Soren and Claudia were sing-shouting to the radio in the back of a cab. The driver, who had pointedly turned the volume down multiple times, was thoroughly unamused. The duo harmonized to the final notes then broke into laughter. 

“This has officially been our best trip ever,” Soren declared. 

“Uhh duh,” said Claudia. “Best photo I’ve ever taken was you falling into that fountain.” 

“That was a terrible place to put a fountain, admit it!” Soren huffed. “Who puts a water fixture in the middle of the sidewalk?” 

“Tidebound elves, apparently,” Claudia laughed, looking for the photo on her phone. “If you weren’t walking backwards you would’ve seen it coming.” 

“I’m blaming the elves,” Soren muttered as Claudia burst into laughter again. 

“Look at your face! I can’t wait to show Dad. He’s gonna love it.” 

The cab pulled to a stop outside a classy-looking townhouse, and the driver sighed with relief. The duo yanked their suitcases out of the trunk and shuffled to the stairs. Claudia pulled a key out from her pockets, dashing up the steps, leaving Soren to haul both suitcases. Claudia’s thumped loudly against a step. 

“Soren, quiet! It’s a surprise!” she whisper-shouted. 

“Well then carry your own luggage!” Soren whisper-shouted back. 

Claudia spun and raised an eyebrow. “What are all those workouts for then?”

“Shut up!” 

The key clicked in the door, and they busted into the foyer. There was a brief moment before Claudia’s eyes went wide and Soren’s jaw dropped. 

Aaravos had draped himself over the couch, feet resting next to a bowl of leftover popcorn kernels on the coffee table, one hand wrapped around Viren’s waist, the other clutching Viren’s hand in his lap. Viren was slumped in a similar pose, his head resting on Aaravos’ shoulder, snoring slightly. Aaravos had settled his own head on top of Viren’s, and he too was sleeping. 

Still playing on the television was one of the many endings to Return of the King. 

Claudia moved closer to get a better look, saw their hands interlocked, and squealed. “DAD HAS A BOYFRIEND?!” 

The pure, radiant energy of her shout woke both men at once. Viren’s head snapped up first and he darted away from Aaravos, who was still blinking blearily at the television screen. Viren’s eyes widened as he saw his children. 

“Claudia! Soren! I uh, thought you weren’t coming back until tomorrow?” he asked, sheepishly, scrubbing a hand through his hair. 

“We’re surprising you! Surprise!” 

“Who’s that?” Soren interrupted, stepping next to Claudia. 

Aaravos had finally noticed them and was staring between the pair with an awed smile. “These are your children?” he asked softly. 

“Um, yes,” Viren answered. 

“Well, introduce me,” Aaravos said. He stood and bowed gracefully toward the duo. 

Viren glanced at his boyfriend then back to his children. “Kids, this is Aaravos. Aara, this is Soren and Claudia.” He waved toward each of them awkwardly. 

“Enchanted to meet you,” Aaravos said with a flourish. “I’m dating your father, as he neglected to mention.” 

Viren scowled. 

Claudia was clapping her hands excitedly, “Enchanted to meet you as well,” she giggled. 

“You’re an... elf,” said Soren. 

“Well-spotted.” Aaravos laughed. “You’re a human?” 

“Right” Soren nodded, his face scrunched with suspicion. Claudia nudged him with her elbow. “Uh, nice to meet you Airyvis.” 

“Aaravos,” Viren corrected, sighing. 

“That’s what I said, Airavas.” 

“You’ll get it eventually,” Aaravos smiled. “Now, I do believe it’s time for me to depart.” He touched Viren’s shoulder comfortingly and waltzed over to the door, pausing in the doorway to give them all a little wave. Claudia waved back, enthusiasm still radiating off her. 

Then she spun on her heels back to her father, who was still frozen on the couch. “You didn’t tell us you have a boyfriend!?” 

“An elf boyfriend,” Soren added. “Did he magic you into it? Like magically seduce you? Using seduction magic?” 

“Soren! He’s not a bard,” Claudia said, then looked at her dad. “Is he?” 

“He’s a mage,” Viren sighed. “I suppose there was never going to be a good time to tell you about this-”

“Tell me everything,” said Claudia. “How’d you two meet? When did you meet? Did you kiss him yet? Ooooo or did he kiss you? What was your first date? Has he taught you any cool spells yet? If he did you have to show me them-”

“Claudia, you realize I can’t answer your questions if you keep asking more of them,” Viren said, finally relaxing into the couch.

“Oh right, sorry.” 

“So uh,” Viren started, “How was your trip?” 

“No, no, nope, no changing the subject,” Soren said as he promptly sat down on the floor and crossed his legs. “Tell us about this elf dude.” 

Claudia sat cross-legged next to her brother, and Viren was struck by how remarkably they looked like their younger selves, back when he would read them bedtime stories about great kings and dragon-slayers. 

So Viren started from the beginning at the bookstore, telling their story in his classic, dramatic manner, leaving out the more intimate moments. And while he spoke, he watched his children’s fascinated expressions and decided that maybe this whole Aaravos thing might work out after all.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if there are bards in the TDP-verse, but I wanted to make a DnD joke so there are now hehe


End file.
